Characterization of a Cell Line Derived from Inconnu

Abstract

Little is known about the diseases of the northern piscivorous salmonid inconnu Stenodus leucichthys (also known as sheefish). Fish health concerns surrounding transport and culture led to initiation of a cell line, now designated INEM-1, from inconnu embryonic tissue, to be used primarily for viral testing of inconnu. Cells were cultured at 16°C in Eagle's modified minimum essential medium with 10% fetal bovine serum. The fibroblastlike cells have now been passaged 57 times. Optimum growth occurs at 20°C, and doubling time is 1.5 d. Good growth also occurred at 16 and 24°C, but 30°C was rapidly lethal. Optimum density was 100,000 cells/ 35-mm-diameter plate, or 11,000 cells/cm². Chromosome analysis revealed a modal number of 76 chromosomes, two more than has been reported for blastulas of inconnu. The karyotype consists of 16 metacentric, 8 submetacentric, and 52 acrocentric chromosomes. Nucleolar organizing regions were identified on one chromosome pair. The INEM-1 cell line is susceptible to infectious pancreatic necrosis virus and infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus. No mycoplasmal contamination or indigenous viruses were detected.